Houthis Claim Strike on Saudi Military Vessel

SANAA: (News Desk) – Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Monday claimed they had attacked a Saudi military landing vessel and four accompanying patrol boats in the Red Sea near Mokha, as the group continues its declared maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia. The claim has not been independently verified, while Riyadh had not immediately commented.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group used several ballistic missiles against the Saudi vessel and its escorts. He also claimed that the targeted vessels were either sunk or caught fire, though no independent evidence was immediately available to confirm the damage.

The latest development follows the Houthis’ announcement last month of a maritime blockade targeting Saudi-linked shipping. The declaration came after a years-long truce in Yemen broke down amid renewed fighting between the rebels and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised Yemeni government.

A Yemeni government military source said seven missiles were launched toward the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the coastline around Mokha, a government-controlled city. The source said a Yemeni commercial vessel and a government military camp were among the reported targets, although details about casualties or damage were not immediately available.

The Houthis later claimed to have carried out a drone attack on a weapons depot in the oil-rich Marib province, which they described as belonging to Saudi-backed reinforcements.

The renewed fighting comes against the backdrop of the wider US-Iran conflict, which has already placed significant pressure on maritime traffic and energy supplies across the region. Recent Houthi attacks have also raised concerns about the security of commercial shipping through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb.

Earlier this month, the Houthis launched some of their deadliest attacks in years, with a Yemeni military source saying 58 government troops were killed, mainly in Marib province.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has urged the warring sides to immediately halt the fighting, warning that continued hostilities could push Yemen back into a full-scale conflict.

Yemen’s war began in 2014 and has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths while creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. The Houthis continue to control large parts of the country, including the capital Sanaa and areas bordering Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea.